The present invention concerns the problem of terminating or connecting an electrical conductor to a contact pin or a contact socket in a plug or a socket contact or connector without using a terminating tool. In particular, the invention relates to a contact pin and a contact socket having a terminating part of a special type for tool-free terminating or connecting thereto of a solid conductor in a cable.
An electrical contact assembly usually includes a plug or male contact having a number of contact pins mounted in a contact housing, and a socket contact or female contact having a corresponding number of contact sockets mounted in a contact housing. In some cases the contact assembly may comprise hermaphroditic contacts, with a mixture of contact pins and contact sockets in each respective one of two contact pieces that are principle of the same type. In such cable contacts of plug, socket contact and hermaphroditic contact type, the electric cable conductors are terminated or connected permanently to the respective contact pins and contact sockets using various terminating methods. Examples of such methods are:
terminating cable conductors on knife contacts, or by fixing contact pins/sockets to the conductors by crimping. These methods require special tools; PA1 terminating by means of a screw connection or by soldering. These methods do not require special tools, but are usually relatively time-consuming.